KEYBOARD CHORD MAKER MIXERMAPS

This series of chord makers are very useful mixermaps created for Steinbergs Cubase music software. The mixermaps will benefit all musicians, unlike other mixermaps which are designed for a particular device. The mixermap will allow you to make chords via your mouse or by MIDI, and will save the chords in the snapshots. It so simple, just play the chord on your MIDI keyboard, see the chord on your mixermap, and click the snapshot button!  A series of chord mixermaps are already available, so you can skip the chord making and use it just like one of those pocket chord calculators! The mixermap contains a musical keyboard, General MIDI program selector, some MIDI controller objects and settings made to the Input Transformer for MIDI chord making. To get the most out of this mixermap, it is recommended to go to your local music store and pick up a good chord book to use when making chords. Guitar players, don't forget that Steinberg has my Guitar Chord Maker available to you on their latest versions of Cubase VST in the Mixermaps directory in the directory called gtr_gcm. Enjoy!


FILENAMES

All the mixermaps filenames associated with the musical keyboard chord maker will be in the format keyxxxxx.mix. The key part of the filename just tells you that the file is one for the chord maker. The xxxxx part of the filename is used for information such as the types or key of the chords etc. It can also be used to describe the resolution of your monitor settings. Some of the mixermaps were created to benefit those limited to a resolution of 800 X 600. For example a mixermap named keyc8x6.mix, is a mixermap used for the chord maker in the key of C and optimized for a screen resolution of 800 X 600. A mixermap with a filename of key10x8.mix is a mixermap for the chord maker optimized for a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 with no chord snapshots. You should try to keep with this file format for good file management techniques. 

INITIAL SETUP 

1. The notes are sent to your MIDI sound module on Channel 1. Set your sound module to receive on this channel.
2. Load the mixermap keyc8x6.mix as you would any other mixermap. This mixermap is optimized for a screen resolution of 800 X 600 with snapshots programmed for the key of C. 
3. Open the mixermap and familiarize yourself with the screen layout. 
4. Double click on the text bar just above the black keys, on the word "CUBASE", to open the Object Definition window. (This is the text object which lays under the note objects)
5. Change this object to the "button" and enter a value of  0 in the min and max fields. Hit OK to close the window.
6. Double click on the text bar just below the white keys, on the word "CUBASE", to open the Object Definition window. (This is the text object which lays under the note objects)
7. Change this object to the "button" and enter a value of  0  in the min and max fields. Hit OK to close the window.

NOTE: These two text objects were changed to buttons, which are used to hide and clear the notes of the chord. If the mixermap is saved with the buttons in this configuration, they will default to a small button when the mixermap is reloaded.

PLAYING THE CHORD SNAPHOTS

1. Click on the desired chord snapshot to play.
2. Double click on the button labeled "RESET HERE",  to clear or "hide" all the keys when you are finished with the chord.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until your hearts content!
4. Don't forget to try out some of the other"pre-programmed" chord mixermaps. Read on to make your own.


MAKING and SAVING CHORDS

There are two methods in which to make chords. The first method uses the mouse to "play" the chord and the second method uses your MIDI keyboard to play the chord. In both methods, the chords are saved as snapshots by creating them in the mixermap window. Mixermap files key10x8.mix and key8x6.mix contain no snapshots and can be used when starting a new chord mixermap. For now just use the mixermap which is already open to make some chords.

CHORDS by MOUSE

1. Choose the Play Tool from the toolbox.
2. Click just below a white key to "play" a note.
3. Click just above a black key to "play" a note.
4. Keep adding notes until all the notes of the chord are playing.
5. Click on the Snapshot button to save the chord.
6. Name the chord (snapshot).
7. Double click on the button labeled "RESET HERE",  to clear or "hide" all the keys.
8. Repeat steps 2-7 to make more chords.

CHORDS by MIDI

1. Scroll the window to the right and set up the Input Transformer (Options Menu) as shown.
2. NOTE: When entering this information in the Input Transformer, a MIDI Track must be selected in the arrange window NOT the Mix Track.
3. Select the mixer map again and press "CTRL A" to select all the mixer objects.
4. Choose the Play Tool from the toolbox.
5. Double click on the button labeled "RESET HERE",  to clear or "hide" all the keys.
6. Play your MIDI keyboard chord one note at a time, keeping the notes down when adding others.
7. You will see the corresponding notes appear above and below the mixermap keyboard.
8. Click on the Snapshot button to save the chord.
9. Name the chord (snapshot).
10. Double click on the button labeled "RESET HERE",  to clear or "hide" all the keys.
11. Repeat steps 5-10 to make more chords.
12. Make sure to disable the Input Transformer when you are finished using mixermap, otherwise Cubase will be converting your MIDI keyboard notes to MIDI controller values and thus you will be wondering why you don't hear anything!

Note: Just to get a little technical, the Input Transformer transforms the incoming MIDI note data into control change values. Each of the note objects (buttons) in the mixermap have these control change values assigned to the remote controller in the Object Definition window. Thus when a Cubase receives a MIDI note, it transforms it to a control change value which "activates" the note object. When the note object is activated it sends the note data, which is entered in the Midi Message field in the Object Definition window, back to your sound module. Walla! An extremely useful tool for any studio environment and best of all it's free! 

Remember, Cubases' capabilities are only limited to those of your own mind!

Have fun!!

Dean Hagan
hagandp@aaicorp.com
